St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-15

Mr.. Cooper wishes to fool man W no
knows his business he had better hire
an editor. Evidently he wrote the arti-
Gle himself. 1t is headed, Are Our
Greenbacks Genuine?" Then in paren-
thesis ''(First district court. New
York; Like the new reporter, lie be-
gins:
An astounding disclosure was made before
his honor ut the above court, the particulars
of which should be understood by our read
ers.
The article then goes on to recite how
one Charles A. Becker was arraigned~
because he had arranged TO sell gen
tleman from the West what he termed
perfectly genuine United States green
backs. precisely the same as those is
sued by the treasury department. The
WeSterner, who was none other than
detective, had purchased $4,000 worth
of the article for 81 200, and had then
arrested Becker for passing counterfeit
money. Becker was indignant and de-
manded that the United States govern
ment experts be sent for. The experts
came and after carefully examining the
alleged counterfeit money declared 1T
to be as good as the genuine, and made
from precisely the same plates. The
experts then made known to the court
llldl OllC VI illC HI ihC SONNlh
ment engineering bureau had stolen the
engravingS and that it was undoubtedly
from these plates that the alleged cOuD-
terfeit bills were made. So SAYS the ar
ticle. and then continues in language
that would make reporter in the Bung-
town Bladder blush for his profession:
The commissioner had no other alter
native than to discharge the prisoner,
who smiled his thanks and Tipped out
of the court room, Valise in hand, that
contained. says our reporter. 100000 OF
money good enough for him at all
events: and our reporter was not alone
in his enviOuS thoughts, as it seemed
that some Of the spectators would like
to have few thousand of Becker so
called countcrfeits. To give our candid
opinion. we could see TO difference i'll
the bills. as the notes were printed from
genuine United States plates. obtained
from the eHgraver'S department at
Washington. by whom ii is not known,
and perhaps never will be. AS the case
now stands, some one is getting rich III
a safe. fast and sure manner at the eX
penSe OF the government"
TO MAKE IT STRONGER
on the other side of the slip is a tele-
gram from Washington, as follows:
DEFICIT L; UNCLE SANS CASH BOX.
htSElNGTON.-l liz TGp OIi VI llc COuiLHkttCC
appointed by Secretary Fairchild to examine
the books. accounts and moneys in the office
of The treasurer of the United States shows
the following items of deficit
Counterfeit notes received i'll re-
demptinn division .............S 129, $40 90
Packages stolen from cash room,
June ,, ISS7............ 800. 1907 90
Packages stolen from Iedemp-
ton division, February IS,
ISe ...-.............. 1,UVu w
Short cash in division of ma
tional banks in liquidatiOn.... 20 90
Total deficit. ,457 20
1t appears from the above that cOun-
terfeiting has been reduced to an art,
and that our treasury officials fail to
detect counterfeits from the genuine,
the resemblance being so close. The
question we wish answered is how to
protect ourselves when officials APP
pointed for the purpose cannot dis
tinguish base from genuine money.